Soccer gold hosts'

Bangladesh midfielder Atiqur Rahman Mishu heads in the opening goal against Afghanistan in the football final of the 11th South Asian Games at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. PHOTO: AMRAN HOSSAIN

Bangladesh capped off their best-ever performance in the South Asian Games with a dream gold in football at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday where the men's team thrashed Afghanistan 4-0 in the final much to the delight of a packed home crowd.
Bangladesh scored twice in each half to make sure they end a decade of gold-drought in the most prestigious event of the regional sporting carnival since their first triumph in the 1999 Katmandu Games.
It may be the most one-sided final in the 26-year history of the Games, but the victory of the booters will definitely relieve the pain of the SAFF Championship two months ago when the same side were eliminated from the semifinals stage.
The gold in football was an icing on the cake for the hosts on the penultimate day on which they claimed two gold in boxing and another at wushu. Already having 11 gold in their coffer before the start of the day, Bangladesh raised their tally to 18 gold, 23 silver and 55 bronze, a feat they have never achieved before.
The only disappointment for the home side was the failure to make any lasting impression in the track and field events. India might have dominated athletics, but the two blue riband events -- 100m sprint of men and women -- went to Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively.
Sri Lanka's 20-year-old Shehan Saearuwan Abeypitia beat his more experienced and illustrious competitors to become South Asia's fastest man with 10.46 seconds while 23-year-old Naseem Hameed created a piece of history when she became the first Pakistani woman to win the 100m dash with a time of 11.81 seconds.
At the newly-built Mohammad Ali Boxing Stadium, Bangladesh's two boxers Jewel Ahmed and Abdur Rahim made sure the hosts fulfill a pre-Games projection of 17 gold by winning the lightweight 60kg category and light welterweight 64kg category gold respectively after Masbah Uddin won the gold in wushu away at the Sylhet BKSP.
With only three gold up for grabs on the final day today -- two in table tennis and the other in men's marathon -- India once again established their supremacy with an overwhelming tally of 88 gold, 53 silver and 28 bronze.
Pakistan stayed second with 19 gold, one more than third placed Bangladesh. Sri Lanka took the fourth position with a collection of 16-33-51. The 11th edition of the regional spectacle which started with a flurry on January 29 is all set to draw its curtain with a lot of fanfare in what promises to be a spectacular closing ceremony at the Bangabandhu National Stadium this evening.